Heswall Childrens Hospital c.1958

A Memory of Heswall.

I am delighted to add a memory to this page. From 1952, (aged 5 years), I had T.B. and eventually went in January 1958, for 6 months, to Heswall Childrens Hospital.I was in the Florence Gibson Ward, and was looked after with great care.
The nurses came from various locations to do their training. One of the nurses, gave me an injection, and it was the first patient she had practiced on! Later on she nursed my Mother in the Womens' Hospital in Liverpool and remembered our name. In later life I came to live on the Isle of Man, and remembered one of my favourite nurses from Ramsey. Nurse Cowin even sent a postcard to me when she had a holiday back home, and I still have it. I contacted the local paper years later, and Nurse Cowin's sister wrote to me to say her sister now lived in London. Most of the children were in for long term. Several were unable to get up, as they were in plaster, suffering from T.B in their hip or knee. As I was eleven years old. I even helped to make the beds up, and learned to do hospital corners! I fed the babies sometimes and those younger than me. Miss Wentworth came in every day to teach us, and she had been the teacher for many years. Another lady,I can't remember her name now, but she also had been visiting for many years, as the Guide Leader, and brought photographs of the Florence Gibson ward when it was completely open with no windows, just fresh air. In those early days it was considered an aid to recovery to be in the open air. This area was covered in,like a conservatory, when I was there in 1958. I met other children who I had been with in the Royal Liverpool Childrens' Hospital over the past seven years. I recovered, my final stay being six months, with injections and tablets of streptomycine, a new cure, and a strong antibiotic, originally from America.
I had regular visits from my teachers at Lawrence Road School in Liverpool and still have all the letters that my class sent to me.I am now 62 years old. We played in the gardens when the weather was good. A donation was made at one time of two ponies and they roamed around the fields. In one area there were benches and it was called The Nurses Circle. After my recovery I returned to school, and joined my family once again. I have lived on the Isle of Man for 36 years, with hardly any illness at all (touch wood!).
I have only great admiration for the dedication of the nurses and doctors who looked after me.

I remember it well, how the nurses helped me,
In Florence Gibson Ward I was able to see,
Plenty of sickness, young children with hope,
Away from our families, we just had to cope.

Lucky I was, recovery came too,
I recall it often, in all that I do.
Strong I have been, over many long years,
Just a child I was then, as old age appears.

Laughter is part of my nature it seems,
I remain optimistic,in my life and my dreams.
I'm one of the lucky with recovered good health,
Time is more precious than having more wealth.

My family around me,fond memories too,
'Heswall' helped my future for what I could do.
I've had no hesitation, done all I wished for,
A life of fulfillment I couldn't want any more.

Linda (McCulloch) Williams. 29.03.10